What's the best way to drink whisky? Let me tell you what I think. What do you think and how do you drink your whisky? [Whisky drinking, how to drink whisky, whisky highball, whisky with water, drinking whisky neat, whisky cocktails, whisky tips, Uday Balaji, The Whisky Advisor]

In India, we tend to be more familiar with Scotch whisky than Bourbon. But what exactly makes a Bourbon a Bourbon? There are specific rules around where it’s made, the amount of corn used, distillation strength and how it’s aged. Even the type of oak cask matters, and unlike some other whiskies, Bourbon doesn't allow added colouring. I’ve broken down six of the key rules in this reel. Have you tried any Bourbons? Which ones are your favourites? I’d love to hear your recommendations. [Bourbon whiskey, what is Bourbon, Bourbon whiskey explained, Bourbon vs Scotch, American whiskey, Bourbon production, whiskey education, Bourbon rules, whiskey ageing, The Whisky Advisor]

Paul John has been a part of my home bar for over a decade. As the brand enters its 15th year, it’s time for a new look. The reimagined packaging takes inspiration from Goa and Indian craftsmanship, with each expression reflecting the character of the whisky inside. Nirvana, Brilliance and Bold each have their own identity, and I’m looking forward to seeing the new bottles on my home bar soon. Are you looking forward to them too? {Paul John Whisky, Paul John Single Malt, Indian single malt whisky, Paul John rebranding, Nirvana single malt, Brilliance single malt, Bold peated whisky, Indian whisky}

We’ve all had Scotch whisky at some point, but have you ever wondered what actually makes it a Scotch? It’s not just about where the whisky comes from. There are specific rules governing everything from the grains used and the strength at which it’s distilled to the oak casks it matures in and its minimum bottling strength. Even the time spent in the cask matters. Here’s a quick look at what goes into defining one of the world’s best-known whisky categories. Do you know all the rules already, or was there something new in this one? [scotch whisky, scotch rules, whisky production, scotch scotch whisky, scotch scotch, whisky maturation, oak cask aging, abv limits, single malt whisky, whisky distillation, whisky education, scotch whisky regulations, whisky process, spirit laws]

I’ve been fortunate to spend a fair amount of my life travelling, having lived and travelled across more than 50 countries. Whisky has taken that journey in a slightly different direction, with visits to over 100 distilleries and whisky experiences across Scotland, Ireland, the US, Japan, India, Taiwan and elsewhere. Over the years, there’s been a lot to learn along the way, and The Whisky Advisor has always been about sharing some of that knowledge, whether through social media, tastings, tours, certifications or simply conversations around whisky. There’s a lot more from those travels that I’d like to share here. More stories, more whisky and hopefully a few things you’ll find useful along the way Follow along as I share more of these stories, experiences and whiskies from the road. [The Whisky Advisor, Uday Balaji, whisky, whisky travel, whisky distilleries, whisky tasting, whisky tours, whisky education, Indian whisky, Indian single malt, single malt whisky, Scotch whisky, Japanese whisky, whisky experiences, whisky knowledge]

It’s been a while since I’ve been this active here. I’ve been busy with a few projects and, as always, travelling for whisky. Now that I’m back, I thought I’d start by asking you what you’d actually like to see here. There’s plenty I can talk about, from the basics of how whisky is made to the more technical stuff, distillery visits, travel stories and the occasional bit of whisky trivia. So, what would you like to know more about? Let me know in the comments. {The Whisky Advisor, Uday Balaji, whisky, whisky education, whisky basics, whisky tasting, Indian whisky, Indian single malt, single malt whisky, whisky making, whisky styles, whisky distilleries, whisky travel, whisky knowledge, whisky trivia, whisky enthusiast, whisky community}

I’ve stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Bangalore a number of times, so I thought I knew the place fairly well. Then I was invited to The Cloak Society. The experience starts rather differently from a usual evening at a hotel. There’s a gold card at the concierge, a side entrance, a curtain and an elevator before you eventually find yourself in the bar. It’s all quite deliberately done, without giving too much away. I spent some time with the team behind the concept and then settled in with the menu. There are two cocktail collections, Arcane and the more premium Antique, along with some rather good food to go with them. I tried a few across both collections and there were some interesting combinations. The whole idea is quite different from what you normally expect to find within a large city hotel. [The Cloak Society, The Cloak Society Bangalore, The Cloak Society Ritz Carlton, Ritz Carlton Bangalore, Bangalore Speakeasy, Bangalore Cocktail Bar, Best Cocktail Bars in Bangalore, Hidden Bars in Bangalore, Speakeasy Bangalore, Bangalore Nightlife, Bangalore Cocktail Experience, Craft Cocktails Bangalore, Whisky Cocktails Bangalore, Luxury Bars Bangalore, Cocktails in Bangalore]

I recently attended the launch of Kranthi, the latest single malt from Amrut, in Bangalore. It was an elaborate evening built around the idea of a “Malt Revolution”, with the Jagdale family, Amrut’s history and the evolution of Indian single malt all brought together. What caught my attention was the thinking behind Kranthi. At 40%, without chill filtration and with a deliberately cloudy appearance, it takes an approach that not every whisky producer would be comfortable with. More importantly, it says something about how far the Indian whisky drinker has come. I’ve put together some moments from the launch, along with my first thoughts on what Amrut is trying to do with Kranthi. [Amrut Kranthi, Amrut Kranthi Single Malt, Amrut Kranthi Whisky, Amrut Whisky, Amrut Single Malt, Indian Single Malt Whisky, Indian Whisky, Indian Single Malt, New Indian Whisky, Non Chill Filtered Whisky, Whisky Tasting, Whisky Launch, Indian Whisky Brands, Bangalore Whisky, Bengaluru Whisky, Amrut Distilleries]